Although abandoned campfires cause plenty of wildfires in the high county, it’s a different story in the desert. Here are six ways you can accidentally start a wildfire.
Wochit

The Tinder Fire, located approximately 9 miles directly east of Clints Well, has grown to about 500 acres in and around East Clear Creek just east of C.C. Cragin Reservoir atop the Mogollon Rim on April 28, 2018.(Photo: Coconino National Forest)

Residents are on edge amid warnings that more than 500 homes are in the path of a fast-moving human-caused wildfire burning Saturday north of Payson on the Mogollon Rim.

Officials on Saturday announced that the Type I Southwest Area Incident Management Team would be taking command of the fire's operations starting at 6 p.m. The team announced it's holding a community meeting Saturday evening to provide updates and answer questions from residents.

People posted their worries on the U.S. Forest Service - Coconino National Forest Facebook page.

One woman wrote, "This is going to be a bad year for fires. The fines need to be stiff, not just warnings!"

Another woman urged immediate safety measures.

"As much as I love camping, maybe y'all should just close the Rim and all camping for this summer," she said. "It's too dry out there and too many idiots! If y'all catch someone with a fire give them the max fine/penalty!"

Fire crews first responded to the wildfire nine miles east of Clints Well Friday afternoon, according to Coconino National Forest officials. It is believed to be human caused. The exact origin of the fire is still under investigation.

All forest roads in the area are closed. The smoke has limited driving visibility on SR 87. Drivers are advised to use caution in the Blue Ridge and Mogollon Rim areas while navigating smoke and increased emergency-response traffic.

The community meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at the Starlight Pines Community Center, on the southeast side of State Route 87 near milepost 305.